LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 1701
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
DATED: JUNE 29, 2023
SUMMARY
Synopsis: Establishes permanent unit in Office of Emergency Management to
address access and functional needs of residents related to disasters
and emergencies.
Type of Impact: Annual State and local expenditure increases.
Agencies Affected: Department of Law and Public Safety; Counties and Municipal Offices
of Emergency Management.
Office of Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact
Annual State Expenditure Increase At least $500,000
Annual Local Expenditure Increase Indeterminate
 The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that the bill would result in indeterminate
annual State expenditure increases for staffing and operations related to a new unit in the Office
of Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
 This bill requires the unit to be staffed by one full-time supervisor and three full-time planners
to assist the needs of the South, Central, and North Jersey regions in serving State residents
with access and functional needs. The OLS assumes that these staffing costs will be at least
$500,000 annually.
 Additionally, counties and municipal offices of emergency management, in turn, may
experience a recurring workload increase, as the bill requires the State Office of Emergency
Management to coordinate with each county and municipal emergency management agency to
take appropriate steps to determine, expand, and implement best practices to be utilized in
support of residents with access and functional needs.
Office of Legislative Services Legislative Budget and Finance Office
State House Annex Phone (609) 847-3105
P.O. Box 068 Fax (609) 777-2442
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 www.njleg.state.nj.us
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BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill requires the State Office of Emergency Management to establish a permanent unit in
the office to serve the needs of State residents with access and functional needs.
Under the provisions of the bill, the unit’s responsibilities are to include:
(1) determining the needs of residents with access and functional needs, before, during, and
after disasters and emergencies;
(2) determining the Statewide availability of relevant resources and assistance;
(3) assessing and addressing the ability of residents with access and functional needs to access
available resources and assistance; and
(4) coordinating with county and local offices of emergency management and relevant
resource providers to determine, expand, and implement best practices to support residents with
access and functional needs.
The bill provides that the unit would consist of one full-time supervisor and a staff of three
full-time planners to assist the needs of the South, Central, and North Jersey regions in serving
State residents with access and functional needs.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS finds that the bill would result in indeterminate annual State expenditure increases
for staffing and operations related to a new unit in the Office of Emergency Management in the
Department of Law and Public Safety.
The OLS notes that although the Office of Emergency Management is currently responsible
for supporting all residents of New Jersey, the bill requires the establishment of a dedicated unit
consisting of one full-time supervisor and a staff of three full-time planners to assist the needs of
the South, Central, and North Jersey regions in serving State residents with access and functional
needs. The OLS assumes that these staffing costs will be at least $500,000 annually.
The unit will have recurring workload requirements that include: a) determining the needs of
residents with access and functional needs before, during, and after disasters and emergencies; b)
determining the Statewide availability of relevant resources and assistance; c) assessing and
addressing the ability of residents with access and functional needs to access available resources
and assistance; and d) coordinating with county and local offices of emergency management and
relevant resource providers to determine, expand, and implement best practices to support
residents with access and functional needs.
Further, the Department of Human Services’ internal Office of Emergency Management serves
New Jersey's special need individuals and request that individuals with disabilities sign up with
New Jersey's special needs registry so that first responders and community providers have an up-
to-date list of where to find them in the case of an emergency. The OLS does not know to what
extent the functions of these two State organizations may overlap.
Additionally, counties and municipal offices of emergency management, in turn, may
experience a recurring workload increase, as the bill requires the State Office of Emergency
Management to coordinate with each county and municipal emergency management agency to
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take appropriate steps to determine, expand, and implement best practices to be utilized in support
of residents with access and functional needs. The bill will not directly affect counties and
municipalities that are already in compliance with this requirement. Currently non-conforming
counties and municipalities, however, will experience a workload increase that may or may not
result in additional recurring expenditures, depending on each entity’s resource allocation policies.
Background – Currently, several State initiatives support public emergency response plans for
individuals with special needs:
 “Register Ready – New Jersey’s Special Needs Registry for Disasters” allows New Jersey
residents with disabilities or access and functional needs and their families, friends, and
associates to provide information to emergency response agencies, so emergency
responders can better plan to serve these residents in a disaster or other emergency.
 P.L.2011, c.178 permits each county in the State to establish a central registry for residents
with special needs who require additional assistance during an emergency. Each central
registry created is to be maintained by individual county offices of emergency management
and is to be composed of information voluntarily provided by each registrant, including,
but not limited to, the registrant's address, telephone number, and particular condition or
assistance needs. These registries are to be included in the Emergency Operations Plan
required pursuant to P.L.1989, c.222.
 P.L.2021, c.292 requires the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the
Department of Health, the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental
Disabilities and Their Families, licensed service providers, and the State Office of
Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public Safety to develop and
oversee the implementation of a public emergency response plan for licensed service
providers in the State.
Section: Law and Public Safety
Analyst: Kristin Brunner Santos
Lead Fiscal Analyst
Approved: Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the
failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).